Raavan- Enemy of Aryavarta
Page 32
‘You think I am scared of you? Bring it on! Let’s battle! Say when!’ Vashishtha proclaimed.
Vishwamitra raised his hand, then with great effort, controlled himself and stepped back. ‘I will fulfil her dream. I will show her that I am better, better than you are.’
‘You are nobody to do anything for her! She was mine. I will—’
‘Guruji!’
Vashishtha opened his eyes, coming back to the present from the ancient, nearly-century-old memory.
He said a quick prayer in his mind and asked, ‘What happened?’ He had sent his friend Hanuman to save them, to save Sita and Ram. He could only hope Hanuman had reached in time.
‘We received word from Lord Hanuman, Guruji. I am sorry, but Raavan has kidnapped Princess Sita.’
‘And Ram?’
‘The Lankans killed all the Malayaputras who were with Princess Sita. But from what we’ve been told, Prince Ram and Prince Lakshman are still alive. Our Vishnu is safe. The news is not as bad as it first seemed.’
The Vayuputras had supported Vashishtha’s decision to recognise Ram as the Vishnu. They too believed that it would be good for India. Technically, though, as the tribe of the previous Mahadev, they only had the right to recognise the next Mahadev and not the next Vishnu.
‘The news is bad, my friend,’ said Vashishtha. ‘The war has been triggered.’
‘But… but I am not sure Raavan wants a war, Guruji. We know that Lanka is very weak.’
‘It doesn’t matter what Raavan wants. He’s a mere puppet. He’s not the one who is behind this.’
‘Then who is?’
‘Vishwamitra.’
‘But—’ The Vayuputra messenger held his tongue. He knew of the animus between Vashishtha and Vishwamitra. The worst enemy you can have is someone who was once a dear friend. He knew better than to get in the way of a battle as titanic and malignant as that between Vashishtha and Vishwamitra.
‘What do we do now, Guruji?’
Vashishtha’s fists were clenched tight, his muscles tense. His eyes, normally kind and gentle, burned with fury. His face was a picture of determination.
‘Now… we fight!’
… to be continued.
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